This year, make a resolution you’ll actually keep: to conserve energy. To help you with that resolution, we’ll be giving out a conservation tip as the first blog post of every month (12 Months = 12 Resolution Tips). We’ll give you the tip, estimate the cost, and rank the ease of performing the tip. Here we go with our first tip:
Resolution Tip #1 of 12:
Insulate Your Hot Water Tank & Pipes
Estimated Cost: $30 – 40 for tank jacket; $5 – 10 for pipe insulationTo get you motivated, watch fellow blogger Bob Fulton insulate hot water pipes and add a jacket to his hot water tank.
Ease of Install: Medium
Other Notes: Wrapping the water heater with an insulation blanket can save heating money by slowing the drop in temperature from the hot water tank as it sits unused. Also, read the stickers on your tank and the user manual to ensure you’re not voiding the warranty nor placing your home in harms way by installing a jacket.
Don’t forget to share this page to help others conserve energy and save money.
5 comments:
Great idea.
Over the past year we have collected over 240 different energy conservation ideas for the home from hundreds of different people across North America.
Not every suggestion is for every situation. However, 106 of these home energy conservation suggestions cost absolutely nothing to do and a further 74 cost next to nothing. Here's the link to the list:
http://dailyhomerenotips.com/energy-conservation/
We are just trying to promote that there are lots of different ways to conserve energy consumed at home without spending a lot.
We do need to promote and have both individuals and companies focus more on the demand side of the energy supply / demand equation.
Dan
I have a dumb question that has bugged me for awhile.
If your water heater loses heat to the interior of your home - is it really wasted?
Isn't that heat transfer very similar to what would happen if you had a water-based heating system where heat was transferred from hot water in pipes to your homes interior?
I can see.. in the summertime.. where this heat would add to your air conditioning bill but how about in the winter...??
isn't it just helping to heat your house?
Larry G,
Water heating typically accounts for the second largest consumption of energy in the home and so customers would generally be advised to conserve in this area for greatest savings. The inquiry does point to a valid observation, IF the water heater is in 'conditioned space,' that is it is located in space that is otherwise heated/cooled. Commonly, water heaters are located in areas that are not heated/cooled (such as a garage, basement) and thus, the radiation effect of a sub-insulated water heater would use more energy to not so effectively heat that space. It is important to remember heat always flows from hot to cold. So, even when hot water is not flowing from the tank, the first few feet of pipe leaving the tank is siphoning heat from the stored water.
Additional information the inquirer may find useful may be found at http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/DE/ConsumerInfo/HandbookWaterHeating.pdf.
Hope that helps!
Tom
Residential (and commercial) consumer awareness of the actual, real-time electric usage of various loads would seem to be an effective way to motivate and manage conservation. Although most people realize that electric stoves and water heaters are some of the largest consumers of electricity, an actual visual indication of current electric usage at any time may promote actions to reduce or limit unnecessary usage.
Does Dominion offer, or plan to offer, any type of real-time energy (electricity) usage monitoring system for the residential consumer?
Great question Marc.
In the summer of 2008, Dominion launched nine pilot programs that tested customer acceptance of new energy-saving initiatives. Approximately 4,500 customers in Dominion's Central, Eastern and Northern Virginia service areas were randomly solicited to participate in one of the pilot programs. To help ensure representative results, customers were not able to volunteer for the pilots or participate in more than one pilot.
One of the pilots (just as you were referring to) we tested used a PowerCost Monitor. This pilot program provided eligible residential customers with a free in-home display that delivers real-time feedback on energy consumption and cost for the entire residence. Participants were asked to self install the sensor on the meter. The sensor sends a wireless signal to an in-home display estimating how much electricity is being used at any given time. Customers are able to track energy use by either kilowatts or dollars. By turning appliances on and off, customers can view real-time energy savings in the display. Information can be obtained from our Pilot Program Web site:
dom.com/customer/efficiency/programs.jsp
While this was one of our most popular pilots, we're still collecting research data for cost and effectiveness. Furthermore, we do plan to apply to the State Corporation Commission (the first half of this year) to take this, as well as a number of other programs into full scale Conservation programs. Be on the lookout in the future for conservation programs.
Until then, if you want to purchase the PowerCost Monitor we used in the pilot, you can check www.bluelineinnovations.com or watch our video on the Powercost Monitor:
dom.com/media/video/powercost/index.html
Tom
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